Machine-to machine (M2M) wireless machines or devices (hereafter referred to as M2M devices) can communicate primarily or exclusively with other M2M devices, with little or no human intervention. Examples of M2M devices can include wireless sensors, meters to track vehicles of a fleet or measure the use of utilities such as electricity or gas, and so forth. In many cases, these M2M devices can connect to a wireless network and communicate with a network server via a wireless wide area network. For example, M2M devices may be used with the Institute of Electronics and Electrical Engineer (IEEE) 802.16 standard, IEEE Std. 802.16-2009, published May 29, 2009 (WiMAX), as well as in Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) networks. In parlance of the 3GPP Long Term Evolution (“LTE”) Release 10 (March 2011) (the “LTE Standard”), M2M communications may alternatively be referred to as “machine-type communications (MTC).
From a network perspective, M2M communications can be considered to be relatively low-priority communications due to the tolerance of M2M devices for relatively high latency and infrequent data transfers. For instance, utility sensors may send a report, comprising a few bits, at a frequency of once per day. The delivery time window of the report may be considered acceptable within a period of several minutes to several hours. The high latency and infrequent communication enables network carriers to provide access for M2M devices to their networks for relatively low cost compared with typical low latency, higher bandwidth users.
However, many types of M2M devices that normally communicate on a low priority level may have rare occasions when they need to communicate on a priority level that is higher than a low priority.
Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments illustrated, and specific language will be used herein to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended.